St. Tammany officials want more facts on coroner's finances

Responding to a call that St. Tammany Parish President Pat Brister and Parish Council members seek the ouster of embattled Coroner Pater Galvan, several parish leaders said Wednesday that an ongoing investigation by the state Legislative Auditor should be completed before any such pressure is applied. In an email to parish leaders and many others Tuesday night, Rick Franzo, president of Concerned Citizens of St. Tammany and Concerned Citizens of Lacombe, called recent revelations of questionable spending by the coroner's office "outrageous and arrogant abuse ... of taxpayer funds."

"With or without an investigation of wrongdoing by the Coroner, he must go. Ideally, this would be his resignation with your leading the effort. If you do so, we will be your cheerleaders and supporters in this call.

St. Tammany Parish Coroner Peter Galvan

"If you decline taking the lead in a call for his resignation it will be up to the citizens to see to it that he does not stay on for another three years by either compelling his resignation or by a recall election."

Franzo's letter was sent to Brister, the Parish Council, District Attorney Walter Reed, St. Tammany's legislative delegation, Congressional representatives and state Attorney General Buddy Caldwell, among others.

Brister issued a statement Wednesday afternoon urging the coroner to cooperate fully with the investigation, but stopped short of asking him to step down. She said the administration and council need more information on the spending habits of the coroner, a parishwide elected official who has complete control of his agency's finances.

NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune reported Jan. 22 that the coroner's office used taxpayer money for more than $36,000 in meals at 151 different restaurants from 2006 through 2012. It also racked up substantial spending on items, some of which would seem to have little to do with the operation of the coroner's office -- purchases at groceries, retail stores, sporting goods/outdoor outlets, even a school for flight lessons, agency records show. Taxpayer money was also used to purchase alcohol at some of the meals.

Story by

Robert Rhoden

and Kim Chatelain

Staff writers

Galvan receives a salary of nearly $200,000 as coroner, while maintaining a private medical practice in Slidell. Fox 8 News recently reported that Galvan controls his own salary and gave himself repeated pay raises in recent years.

Parish Councilman Reid Falconer said while the reports on the financial affairs of the coroner's office are "really disturbing on so many levels," he too would like to see the results of the audit before imposing pressure to have Galvan step down. "We need to let the process work, then make an informed decision," Falconer said.

Parish Councilman Jake Groby said calling for Galvan's resignation might not be prudent at this time.

"If he resigns, he can no longer be compelled to answer questions about his office," Groby said. "We need to give time for the auditor to do his investigation. The auditor has to see what's right and what's wrong . . . We have to let it play out."

Councilwoman Maureen O'Brien said the ongoing work of auditors will help clarify what local government leaders need to do next. "There is definitely an outcry in the community to do something," she said.

Both Brister and Falconer said the revelations regarding Galvan's office reflect badly on all parish elected officials and erode the public's trust in government.

"Public trust should never be taken lightly or abused, much less completely disregarded," Brister said in her statement. "The reports in the media concerning the St. Tammany Parish Coroner are personally disturbing.

"However, there is an ongoing investigation of that office by the State Legislative Auditor. I strongly encourage the coroner to cooperate fully with the investigation, so that we may have all the evidence before us to decide what actions to take next," she said. "We all have our own personal feeling about the allegations, but the people of St. Tammany Parish elected the coroner, not the administration or council. We eagerly await the findings of the Legislative Auditor's inquest so that we as elected officials and the citizens of St. Tammany can decide what happens next."

Galvan has declined several requests for comment from NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.